I confess. I was a bad, bad girl while I was on my trip. I didn't take any pictures. But—for those of you who just can't live without having this sort of thing, I did save strange and random bits of things to put together into a collage.

2001 Illinois trip collage
by domesticat.
[see full-sized version on flickr]

Here's what you'll find in the picture:

1. The all-important packing list, taken from my visor. Can't forget the cell phone, or beer for the host.
2. My alarm clock, with the 'alarm' pointer still signifying my four a.m. wakeup time.
3. Chicago Transit Authority bus pass.
4. Pass to the Dana-Thomas house, which I toured in the rain.
5. Movie ticket from Innocence. I cried.
6. 'Cashier was USCAN'? Aaron and I both boggled over that one. Quite funny, we thought.

The pictures, part two.  Full photoset is available here.

Someone asked me recently if I, the consummate list-maker, had a list of movies I was slowly working through in order to learn more about modern cinema. In a nutshell: yes, but only since last week, when you first mentioned it to me.

These are movies released within the last ten years—and yes, it's going to take me a long time to see all of these. But, nevertheless, here they are.

Atlanta, land of yuppie grocery stores. While here on business I've made the most of my time: learning streets, getting lost, getting found again, and snapping up tasty goodies from the local grocery shops.

I think this exchange might hold some interest for more people than just the original person it was intended for. Ever wondered what books I consider favorites? The letter:Amy,

I've a question for you. While in Europe I plan to read dense classics that I never would read while doing school work at the same time since that stuff is dense enough.

(Side note: the webcam's back up. I'll point it at the cats when they're in the room with me. Enjoy.)

Several months ago, I stopped questioning why I was writing for this site and simply got into the business of writing for it. In the end, I think it was the right thing to do; instead of wondering about my motives and my variously interesting neuroses, I decided to do what I enjoy most: the arranging, scattering, and recombination of words.In the almost-365 days since I started writing for this site last year, I've written about a little bit of everything. From dealing with marriage and death and joy and confusion, it's all here, in varying shades of clarity and obfuscation.

In my way, I had my own Walden-esque goals: to write about the things that mattered—and not just the things that matter today, but the people and events that will still matter to me ten, twenty, forty years from now.